You can't Kick Off at 19:45 currently due to the mess of the J1 island, until that is improved which I do believe Albion have raised the issue of it has to be 8PM, that comes down to Sandwell Council and Highways England.
Anyway onto the Atmosphere, before yesterday me and a few other blokes aged between there late twenties and Mid to late fourties with probably a bloke in there mid thirties have tried to get an Atmosphere going at Darlaston, going for the play Offs, we felt we needed a chant. It actually started before the last few games with just one chant Going down the Bentley Road copied of Albion and Walsall as I support Albion and the others did support Walsall and obviously we both sing walking down the Brummie Road/Wednesbury Road, so anyway we sang it and no one else would join in, so we felt weird now at first it was understandable we weren't sure if our current unbeaten run and push for the play Offs would amount. When it looked like it could we hoped more would join in. They didn't, now last Saturday we played 2nd place Lichfield and battered them 4-0 so we started to sing your rubbish and you know you are it was obviously not that word only to be sold to stop swearing. Now these blokes have young kids and have said at the Football they don't mind swearing on the bus or something yeah, but when Alochol is mixed with passion and the release of a week of work yeah it's fine. Now afterwards in the Bar I stated what's to stop me standing on my mates shed he lives behind and singing there. An old bloke then said I don't care if you swear there but I can stop you here. That really annoyed me as he is probably in his 60's or 70's and I'm In my 20's I wasn't being Thuggish I was being passionate. Anyway a bloke raised a point that these days at the Football everything is Liberal which back in the 90's meant the opposite of today, now more women and Children watch, which is fine but you should expect swearing.
My first Albion game was the 3rd Round of the FA Cup against Wigan under Big Dave, I sat in the East Stand and I remember the Smethwick or Brummie singing a song with swearing in and This kid sat behind me told his Mum Arrrgh Mum there swearing, the mum said they were naughty the kid looked about 10 and then she tuted. She had an Albion shirt on so surely knew that was the Smethwick they Swear then, If it was me myself I wouldn't sit in the East Stand, I would sit in the Smethwick or Brummie and if I did sit in the East I would sing the Liquidator, but because it is our family Stand I wouldn't swear. I also saw this season the game against Wolves a mother was moaning about the swearing and atmosphere. Me and my wolves supporting mate who was there both said yeah the scenes weren't nice but why would you take a young child to the first Black Country Derby in 12 years, he said he wouldn't take his future kids to one until they are at least 18. I said 16 as they should be mature enough if they aren't 18 if not 21.
I think the issue is people want to go to the football but see people my age up to there 40's who are passionate singing and giving abuse swigging a pint as Drunken loud mouth yobs and they don't expect it, they expect everyone to be friendly and not swearing. As someone said it is to Liberal now, Football for most blokes is the last place they can swear and abuse. Now abusing players I don't do, I wouldn't do it they are trying there best especially these lads, I said to someone Albion and Darlo are the same the players want to get into the Playoffs and you can tell feel down when they lose. But I can also see people might be angry after work want to watch the Albion and overstep the marks. Referees I wouldn't abuse for Race, Sex but if I was sat in the Brummie and he was getting abuse I would join in as long as it didn't go to far.
I think football now is a strange place you have people like me young lads who like to use it as a social gathering, talking about one of my passions whilst having a few drinks with My mates or people I get to know and then sing for 90 minutes and then you have people who expect it to be a family day out. Sadly both aspects can't agree and it kills the atmosphere or causes people to overstep the mark. I've always said I would tell my kids they could swear around me and at the Football, Lad or girl I would explain to them I won't take them to games against Villa or Wolves until there 16 or 18 maybe 18 to drink with there dad (me) but I would teach them the Liquidator and all the other chants. But sadly not everyone sees it like this
